School of Engineering & Applied Science

Engineers solve the paradox of why tissue gets stiffer when compressed

Tissue gets stiffer when it’s compressed. That stiffening response is a long-standing biomedical paradox, as common sense dictates that when you push the ends of a string together, it loosens tension, rather than increasing it. New research explains the mechanical interplay between that fiber network and the cells it contains.

a person sitting at a microscope looking at a computer screen surrounded by pipet boxes, chemicals, and cabinetry

From the classroom to the lab and back again

Senior Adithya Sriram is busy earning two degrees, researching new applications for graphene, and preparing physics courses for students in West Philadelphia.

A scan of a human body analyzed by AI tools.

Can the additive tree expand machine learning in medicine?

By combining elements of two widely used prediction models, the “additive tree” is a highly predictive model that is also easy to interpret.

The researchers showed that the new microwave imager chip could form images of simple objects such as this metallic Penn logo. Unlike light, microwaves can travel through certain opaque objects, making microwave imagers potentially useful in a wide variety of applications. (Image: Farshid Ashtiani)

New chip poised to enable handheld microwave imaging

Penn researchers show that the new microwave imager chip could form images of simple objects. Unlike light, microwaves can travel through certain opaque objects, making microwave imagers potentially useful in a wide variety of applications.

New topological insulator can reroute photonic ‘traffic’ on the fly

Penn researchers, who first discovered topological insulators in 2005, have shown, for the first time, a way for a topological insulator to make use of its entire footprint without wasted space throughout the material’s interior.

a group of 40 people posing on a staircase

A ‘quantum leap’ for quantum information science

By bringing together experts across campus and across disciplines, Penn is poised to lead ongoing efforts towards developing quantum applications using atomically-thin materials.

an abstract depiction of a brain in multi-colors

A model for brain activity during brain stimulation therapy

Combined with data from other stimulation experiments , these models could help researchers determine the specific patterns of brain activity to target for improving memory.

from top left to bottom right, scene from the film The Matrix with Neo and Morpheus plugged into machines while laying back in chairs; Professor X wearing Cerebro, a person wearing a cap covered in electrodes while watching a computer screen with dots, and a person wearing glasses leaning back in a chair wearing a cap with electrodes

Brain-machine interfaces: Villainous gadgets or tools for next-gen superheroes?

A Q&A with neuroscientist Konrad Kording on how connections between minds and machines are portrayed in popular culture, and what the future holds for this reality-defying technology.

Bots, biases, and binge watching: How AI shapes the modern world

A three-part series and podcast delves into the nuts and bolts of algorithms, legal and ethical questions, and ways artificial intelligence guides decision making.

The virtual assistant

Artificial intelligence has permeated many corners of life, from consumer purchasing and media consumption to health care—sometimes in ways we don’t even know.

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